The chemoselective α-iodination of various simple and multi-functionalised acrylic esters is efficiently accomplished by a Morita–Baylis–Hillman protocol involving the use of N-iodophthalimide, 3-quinuclidinol and KF-Celite in acetonitrile. No degradation of the obtained compounds was observed under the optimized conditions thus, furnishing α-iodoacrylates suitable for organometallic reactions (i.e. Nozaki–Kishi–Hiyama type coupling).